North West Archives - Page 8 of 174

The Tempest – Shakespeare North Playhouse

9Oct

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

The Tempest – Shakespeare North Playhouse

Monsters, sprites, humans, love and angst, sound like a delightful mix of intrigue and mystery. When in fact, you’re witnessing one of Shakespeare's works of art, produced by Tom Dixon and Will Orton. The Handlebards, a group of inspiring thespians who have made it their mission to bring environmentally friendly theatre on a journey to make it accessible for all. The Tempest has a simple set (Ellie Light) which doubles up as different staging props when needed and the group use comedic and creative ways to adapt their scenes and surroundings. The set also has the main protagonist Prospero all over it symbolising his monopolisation of the island and all who inhabit. The music and sound (Guy Hughes) within this production are beautiful and magical, also, a large portion of the music...

8Oct

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Power Cut – Olympus Fish & Chips

For one night only, ‘On The Go Theatre Company’ bring their production of “Power Cut’, a new play by Josie Byrne and Lynda Gray, to the salubrious surroundings of Olympus Fish & Chips in downtown Bolton. Unfortunately, what aspired to be a character-based situation comedy with a political edge proved to be more of a broad 1970s farce with a muddled script, both poorly staged and executed. I have often visited ‘thOlympus’ in Bolton before reviewing at the nearby Octagon, revelling in its camp glory. The bright and spacious Dining Room is complete with potted palms and a dinner jacketed pianist playing show tunes on a grand piano, whilst delicious food is served to pensioners by speedy teenagers in smart black uniforms; I always leave smiling. Their decision to convert the restaur...

Chisato Minamimura: Mark of a Woman – The Lowry

6Oct

By Helen JonesNo Comments

North West

Chisato Minamimura: Mark of a Woman – The Lowry

At the start of the performance Chisato Minamimura introduces herself as a deaf Japanese woman. She is also a beautiful contemporary dancer and mime artist. Using dance, mime and sign language (with a pre-recorded audio) she explores and celebrates the history of women and tattooing. The show also uses something called woojer straps, a vibrating belt designed to offer an additional sensory experience. While the reviewer did not partake, her companion did and has offered their thoughts. During the performance Minamimura looks at various historic and often personal accounts of female tattooing. Starting with the Japanese practice of hajichi, a hand tattooing done by the Ryukyuan women on Okinawa island. Initially done as a rite of passage into adu...

The Bodyguard – Winter Gardens, Blackpool

6Oct

By Rebecca CaseyNo Comments

North West

The Bodyguard – Winter Gardens, Blackpool

An enjoyable evening at Winter Gardens, Blackpool. A very talented cast led by Sidonie Smith (Chicago, Sister Act) as the central character, vocal superstar Rachel Marron. Alongside her bodyguard, Frank Farmer, the role made famous in the movie version by Kevin Costner, this evening played by Olivier award nominated Adam Garcia (Wicked, Coyote Ugly) a man with a wealth of industry experience If anything slightly disappointing that we didn’t get to enjoy his amazing vocal, or highly skilled tap dancing. The musical based on the very popular movie starring Whitney Houston, back in the Early 90s, featuring an outstanding Musical score of power ballads and crowd pleasers. The story closely follows that of the movie, but in parts is lacking in certain elements of the storyline, I don’t...

A Waltz on the Edge: RLPO’s Dance Through Darkness and Disquiet – Philharmonic Hall Liverpool

6Oct

By Mark HumphreysNo Comments

North West

A Waltz on the Edge: RLPO’s Dance Through Darkness and Disquiet – Philharmonic Hall Liverpool

On a wet and blustery autumnal evening, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Alpesh Chauhan, delivered a programme rich in colour, rhythm and emotional depth. Yet despite the brilliance of individual works and performances, the evening’s structure felt somewhat episodic — a sequence of vivid tableaux rather than a unified narrative. One couldn’t help but wish for a meaty Romantic symphony to provide a longer-form canvas for Chauhan’s storytelling instincts. Chauhan himself was a compelling presence on the podium — energetic, light-footed, and physically expressive. In La Valse, he launched himself from the handrail with a heel-toe-leap flourish that mirrored the music’s swirling intensity. His command of rhythm and texture was evident throughout, and his rappor...

Britannia Waves The Rules – Hope Street Theatre

5Oct

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Britannia Waves The Rules – Hope Street Theatre

Gareth Farr’s 2011 Bruntwood Prize winning play is a brutal and gritty account of a young man’s journey from the cold, wet beaches of Blackpool to the dry, burning deserts of Afghanistan and it takes no prisoners along the way. It’s a tough but important story to listen to and a sad reflection on society that its message still resonates so strongly some fifteen years on. It's grim up north and nowhere more so than Blackpool which only has rose-tinted memories of bygone days to fall back on for its older residents, whereas for young Carl Jackson (Jim Kelly) it is a place to run away from, whether that be from family members or mock-Mancs. It really has nothing to offer – even the girl next door doesn’t want to know. Only the army offers a way out and a trip around the world after ...

3Oct

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

Death on the Nile – The Lowry

Ken Ludwig’s stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, directed by Lucy Bailey at The Lowry, is a real masterclass in theatrical storytelling, full of intrigue and suspense. From the very first moment, the audience is swept into Christie’s world of glamour and danger, all delivered with precision delivery that makes this show a genuine five-star triumph! What strikes you immediately is just how slick and cinematic the staging feels. Mike Britton’s ingenious two-tier set design brilliantly evokes the cabins and decks of the Nile steamer, offering the audience both intimacy and grandeur in equal measure. It’s this clever simple staging that allows the story to unfold with a fast pace, while Oliver Fenwick’s atmospheric lighting and a subtle, evocative soundtrack add layers ...

2Oct

By Sam JamesNo Comments

North West

Shake It Up Baby – Epstein Theatre

Have you ever wondered how The Beatles became THE BEATLES? If so, get yourself down to the Epstein Theatre for the fantastically toe-tapping 'Shake It Up Baby' written by Ian Salmon and directed by Stephen Fletcher. Dive into the 1960s on a musical journey which spans Liverpool, London and Hamburg. A multi-talented and creative cast take to the stage to delight and entertain you with outstanding vocals, a story of determination and energetic choreography (Carrie-Anne Ingrouille and WOW LIVERPOOL), making you feel that you want to get right up and dance with them. The characterisation of every character on stage was diverse and relatable, with many actors showing their wide range of skills by easily transitioning between multiple roles. Onto the main stars o...

2Oct

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

The Book of Mormon – Liverpool Empire

What really shouldn’t work as a concept for a musical, really does. A musical based on the book that Mormons use, or even Mormons in general? And it was written by the duo who created South Park? Everything just shouldn’t work about this show, yet it has a huge following and is so funny, that you ache from laughing. Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s musical follows Elder Price – the top missionary in his class and his missionary partner, Elder Cunnigham, who is the bottom of the class. It follows them as they begin their missionary journey and not in the place that Elder Price was praying for. Nothing seems to go right for the duo and they try to covert a local village to become Mormons themselves. As with their partnership, it has varying levels of success. As someone who saw the origina...

1Oct

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

One Man, Two Guvnors – Daneside Theatre

The Congleton Players’ first production of the 2025/26 season opened last night and it’s the hilarious One Man, Two Guvnors, directed by Louise Colohan, delivering a gloriously chaotic and endlessly entertaining evening at the theatre. Richard Bean’s modern adaptation of Carlo Goldini’s The Servant of Two Masters has been delighting audiences for years, but in the hands of the spirited Congleton Players company, it feels fresher and funnier than ever. Packed with more slapstick, silliness, and audience interaction, this is a show that thrives on its joyful energy and leaves you grinning from start to finish. At the heart of the production is Francis Henshall, played by Simeon Green, whose performance is nothing short of outstanding. Green delivers the perfect mix of cheekiness and ch...